Kayaking the lake, strolling along Oliver’s canal and exploring back roads made our short vacation zip by, but photos bring back our special memories. I hope you enjoy them, too.
What's next? How about a trip to Ixtapa?
My place for interviews, book reviews, and the occasional meditation. Do you enjoy a good book? I'll feature them here, so let's visit!
A few years ago, we spent a few days in Oliver, BC, just a few hours south of our home. We camped at Apple Beach RV Park on the shores of Tucelnuit Lake. We really appreciated its shady, beachfront sites when the temperatures soared so high the RV’s air conditioner couldn’t keep up. The solution? We took our lawn chairs into the lake and sat with water up to our chests. Perfect!
Kayaking the lake, strolling along Oliver’s canal and exploring back roads made our short vacation zip by, but photos bring back our special memories. I hope you enjoy them, too. What's next? How about a trip to Ixtapa?
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These photos are from a different trip the beach than Monday's. This time, the churning waves and strong winds echoed the turmoil in my heart. We'd gone down to clean out my dad's home; he'd hidden his dementia from his family for quite a while, but it caught up to us all. He needed to move into a care home, if he survived the fall/stroke he'd suffered.
In spite of the emotional chaos, we enjoyed working with my sister and brother-in-law and my brother and sister-in-law. Eventually the turmoil eased, just like the waves, and this trip became a blessing and wonderful memory. Dad still lives in the beautiful care home my family found for him, where he is lovingly cared for in Jesus' name. God is good and worthy of all praise. Long Beach Peninsula, WA. What a beautiful place! There's something inherently awesome about the ocean, isn't there? How can one stand on the shore, knowing the power of the waves and having some comprehension of the vastness, and not bow before our Creator? Great is our God, and greatly to be praised!
Do you have a favorite beach? Where is it? TITLE: Thee Will I Honor (Treasured Vow Series Book 2) AUTHOR: JoAnn Durgin DATE: 2018 STARS: ***** After serving two tours of duty in Afghanistan, First Lieutenant Matthew Henry Martin, returns to Meadowvale, his beloved hometown nestled in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Wounded in a roadside IED attack that killed two of his comrades, Matt’s devastating leg injury ended his military aspirations. At 25, he’s unemployed and facing a move back into his childhood home. Surely God has a higher purpose and plan for his future? Lesley Ann Randall is a woman on a deeply personal mission. A small Virginia town is the last place her older sister, First Lieutenant Faith Randall, was spotted. Could a sleek red Mercedes hold the clue to Faith's whereabouts? When Lesley speeds into Meadowvale, she immediately captures the attention of the sheriff, the pastor, and a handsome war veteran with secrets of his own. When these two join forces, will they discover something greater than they could ever have imagined? Romance, suspense, family bonds, and love of country—what more could a reader want? Thee Will I Honor delivers it all and does so beautifully. When Matt goes home to Meadowvale, he encounters plenty of welcome and at least as much match-making. While he’s not opposed to marriage, he cannot consider a serious relationship until he is gainfully employed. And that’s not happening. But from his first glimpse of Lesley, Matt is intrigued. As they get to know one another, the mystery of her appearance in town sparks even more interest. How did she end up in his small town? And what is she hiding? As I devoured this story, another story came to mind—the Biblical story of Esther. Why? Because as this faith-filled tale unfolds, we discover God’s hand in the lives of our hero and heroine, “for such a time as this.” I love Thee Will I Honor and award it five stars. Highly recommended! Oops! I forgot to post photos Wednesday. To make up for it, here are several pics of one of my favorite places to visit, the Old Scenic Highway along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. These were taken in 2014, and I hope and pray the area is still beautiful after the devastating fire of last year.
I'm thankful that when the new freeway was built decades ago, someone had the wisdom to save this exquisite stretch of road with its many waterfalls and gorgeous (pun intended) views. The scenic highway extends past iconic Multnomah Falls to Vista Point, with unsurpassed views up and down the river. If you look closely, you can see Beacon Rock dowriver in the photo of the Vista Point sign. Oh man, these pictures make me want to go back! How anyone can see this kind of beauty and deny our Creator is beyond my comprehension. Thank You, Lord, for displaying Your might and love of beauty in Your creation. Have you been here? What's your favorite stop along the way? Yeah, I know I said we'd visit the beach next, but our trip there had some beautiful, fascinating stops, too, so we're revisiting one today. Have you ever been to Dry Falls? If you click on the sixth photo, it will give you a brief explanation of how this 3.5 mile wide, 400 foot deep chasm came to be. Their timeline may be off, but the story is intriguing anyway. I love seeing evidence of God's mighty hand in His creation. Since He is able to carve through rock using something as soft as water, why do I struggle to fully trust Him to accomplish His purpose in my life? Reminds me of that old hymn, "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus..."
I hope you've enjoyed our brief stop today. I'd love to hear from you! May your day be filled with joy as you follow Him. Psalm 96: 1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Here are a few more photos of our exploration of Wells Gray Park a few years back. We stuck to the easy or moderate trails, but even so, some were quite a challenge for me. But the views were worth the effort, and the roar of waterfalls lured me onward each time. As I enjoyed the songs of the falls, it seemed as though they were praising our Creator, and I had to sing, too. Our God is a God of beauty, power and glory! Ooh, these photos bring back such wonderful memories! Wells Gray Provincial Park, in east-central British Columbia, drew us with promises of waterfalls (we saw eight of thirty-nine!), trails galore, and rustic beauty. This was our first camping trip after retiring, and it became the perfect start to our new life. The evidence of God's power and creativity surrounded us and sometimes overwhelmed. I would go back in a heartbeat.
If you'd like to visit spectacular Wells Gray, take your hiking shoes or boots and don't forget your camera. Want more information? Here's their link: https://www.wellsgray.ca/ TITLE: Sofi’s Bridge AUTHOR: Christine Lindsay DATE: 2016 PUBLISHER: White Rose Publishing STARS: ***** Seattle debutant Sofi Andersson will do everything in her power to protect her sister who is suffering from shock over their father's death. Charles, the family busy-body, threatens to lock Trina in a sanatorium—a whitewashed term for an insane asylum—so Sofi will rescue her little sister, even if it means running away to the Cascade Mountains with only the new gardener Neil Macpherson to protect them. But in a cabin high in the Cascades, Sofi begins to recognize that the handsome immigrant from Ireland harbors secrets of his own. Can she trust this man whose gentle manner brings such peace to her traumatized sister and such tumult to her own emotions? And can Neil, the gardener, continue to hide from Sofi that he is really Dr. Neil Galloway, a man wanted for murder by the British police? Only an act of faith and love will bridge the distance that separates lies from truth and safety. When a book holds you captive from beginning to end, and makes you sigh in satisfaction mixed with regret once the journey is over, you know you’ve experienced a great story. Sofi’s Bridge is a great story. Sofi inspired admiration within me from the beginning, as she throws aside “proper” behavior in order to save her younger sister. Sofi’s gift for mathematics and architecture are frowned upon by society, but her late father had encouraged her—to a point. I found her struggles with the expectations of society and her stubborn determination compelling and awe-inspiring. Dr. Neil is the best kind of hero, too, with his dark good looks, gentle manner, and dreadful secret. His compassionate heart overcomes his instinct for self-preservation, and he gives up several chances to flee in order to try to help Sofi’s sister. The budding but forbidden romance between Sofi and Neil intertwined with a strong message of the necessity of faith in God and His goodness, in spite of personal pain. I loved this story and award it five stars. Highly recommended! TITLE: A Chance at Forever AUTHOR: Melissa Jagears DATE: 2018 PUBLISHER: Bethany House STARS: **** In early 1900s Kansas, Mercy McClain, determined to protect Teaville's children from the bullying she experienced as a child, finds fulfillment working at the local orphanage and serving on the school board. When Aaron Firebrook, the classmate who bothered her more than any other, petitions the board for a teaching position, she's dead set against him getting the job. Aaron knows he deserves every bit of Mercy's mistrust, but he's returned to his hometown a changed man and is seeking to earn forgiveness of those he wronged. He doesn't expect Mercy to like him, but surely he can prove he now has the best interests of the children at heart. Will resentment and old wounds hold them back, or can Mercy and Aaron put the past behind them in time to face the unexpected threats to everything they're working for? Bullying makes the news nearly every day, but it’s by no means new. A Chance at Forever deals with severe bullying in the early 1900s, and while this story is fiction, I’m certain the scenarios are realistic. Aaron was a bully and Mercy one of his victims, so how can they move beyond their past pain and work together? The theme of redemption and forgiveness moves in a one-step-forward, two-steps-back manner. As Aaron begins to admire Mercy for her determination and positive attitude in spite of her disability, his shame deepens, and he cannot forgive himself. Parts of this narrative are not easy to read, as it delves into the dark side of society, and I found myself confusing some of the secondary actors (several names begin with S). But the hero and heroine are compelling characters, and their journey to reconciliation and more carries the story. A Chance at Forever earns four stars for its gritty realism and faith-based premise. Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. |
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